666 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. V. No. 121. 



Li A. Bauer ; Magnetic Work at the Kew Observa- 

 tory, Charles Chree ; On the Distribution of Magnetic 

 Observatories over the Globe, Adolf Schmidt ; Results 

 of Magnetic Observations on the Greenland Expedi- 

 tion of 1896, G. R. Putnam ; Letter to Editor : A 

 Proposal with Regard to an International Magnetic 

 Congress, A. Schuster. 



Professor Barus, in his article, gives a valua- 

 ble summary of the results obtained in the tem- 

 pering of magnetic needles, by Dr. Strouhal and 

 himself, some years ago. The article, which is 

 illustrated, closes with rules for the practical 

 treatment of magnets, where great secular per- 

 manence of magnetization is the principal de- 

 sideratum. 



Dr. Bauer investigates the matter of electric 

 currents passing from the air into the earth or 

 from the earth into the air. If such currents 

 exist, their presence will be indicated by the 

 non- vanishing of the line integral of the earth's 

 magnetic force, resolved along a closed curve 

 of the earth's surface. The author selects, as 

 his closed circuits, parallels of latitude between 

 60° N and 60° S and distant by 5° from each 

 other. He bases his investigations on the Neu- 

 meyer magnetic maps of 1885. The result of 

 the investigation would seem to be that, appar- 

 ently, an appreciable part of the earth's total 

 magnetism can be referred to an effect similar 

 to that of vertical electric currents. The aver- 

 age intensity of these currents for the region be- 

 tween 60 N and 60 S would be about one-tenth 

 of an ampere per square kilometer of surface. 



Dr. Chree gives an interesting account of the 

 work done at Kew Observatory, of which he is 

 Superintendent. Dr. Schmidt finds that the 

 present distribution of magnetic observatories, 

 the great majority being on European ground, 

 is far from satisfying the demands of modern 

 science. In order to establish some criterion 

 with regard to the precision to be obtained in the 

 . results of a geomagnetic investigation as based 

 upon the present observatories, he undertakes 

 a mathematical examination, making various 

 combinations of existing observatories and pro- 

 posed ones. It is remarkable how much the 

 addition of one or two observatories in the 

 Southern hemisphere will reduce the probable 

 error in the coefficients of the spherical harmonic 

 series representing the phenomenon under con- 



sideration. New observatories are, above all, 

 needed in the southern part of South America, 

 the central Pacific and in New Zealand. 



Mr. Putnam summarizes his recent magnetic^ 

 work in Greenland. Professor Schuster pro- 

 poses that an International Magnetic Congress 

 of all those interested in the subject be held in 

 1899. 



THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL EDUCATIONAL RE- 

 VIEW.* 



The American Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Physical Education has made a new 

 departure in the line of publication. This 

 Association has been in existence since 1885 

 and has published ten reports containing papers- 

 given at the annual meetings. These reports 

 have been increasing in size and value and con- 

 stitute the best literature of physical education 

 in English. 



In the reorganization of the Association, 

 which took place a year and a-half ago, the 

 annual meetings ceased, to give place to trien- 

 nial or quadrennial conventions. The effort is 

 now being directed to the formation of local 

 physical education societies and of State 

 branches, making it possible for the teachers to 

 have sections in connection with the County 

 and State Teachers' Associations. Twelve 

 local organizations have already sprung up and 

 are exhibiting signs of considerable activity in 

 their monthly and annual meetings. 



The interests of the National Association are 

 in the hands of a Council of nine members, whO' 

 act as an executive committee in all matters re- 

 lating to the Association's interest. The Na- 

 tional Council, after publishing the Tenth 

 Annual Report, which fell to their lot at the 

 close of 1895, have undertaken, instead of such 

 annual reports, the publication of the American 

 Physical Educational Seview, the first volume 

 of which has just appeared. It is proposed 

 during 1897 to publish four numbers consisting 

 of about 60 pages each, to contain original 

 articles relating to physical education, reprints 

 of articles not easily accessible to members of 



* Published quarterly under the auspices of the 

 American Association for the Advancement of 

 Physical Education. Edited by E. M. Hartwell, G^. 

 "W. Fitz, R. G. Huling. Cambridge, 1896. 



